Full Review - The Good One Marshall Generation 3

Chris Marks and his Three Little Pigs barbecue team are one of the top teams in competition barbecue (8 time grand champion of the American Royal BBQ Competition) and The Good One is the smoker he used. On a fundamental level, this is a back offset smoker that has been the subject of a great deal of innovation. It has excellent temperature control, solid and heavy construction, and is very durable.

The large smoking chamber sits in the front and the firebox (which doubles as a direct grilling area) sits in the back. This does mean that all sides of the unit need to be accessible to operate, that that isn't unusual in a smoker like this. The firebox runs parallel to the cooking chamber and smoke and heat enter through a slot between the two chambers. There is a vent that closes this slot so they can be completely separated during cooking. This is a great feature when it comes time to refuel the smoker since heat can be trapped inside the cooking chamber and ash and sparks cannot enter.

Temperature is controlled by what they call spinner vents. These are bolt mounted vents that dial down to close. Once you have the hang of these you find that this smoker has better temperature control than most and wind is not as much of a factor. The Marshall has three intact and two output vents. The tight-fitting vents and seams mean that this unit can be easily shut down. In fact, because the firebox can be isolated, the fire can be dampened quickly.

Recently improvements include a paint that is a higher quality powder coating for better durability and appearance. The slid out ash pan has been replaced with a drop in design to reduce the external openings and improve the airflow even more.

About Me

I began writing about Barbecue & Grilling in 1997 with one mission, to help the backyard chef have the best experience possible. Whether it is deciding which grill or smoker to buy or how to get that perfect steak, this is why this site exists. Join me and be the best outdoor cook you can be.